The BBC asks if the cell phone and other digital gadgets are killing off the wrist watch. It's an interesting question, but I sincerely doubt it. The wrist watch is too useful a gadget and having a timepiece right where you can see it at any moment has too many advantages. Besides, a watch can be made virtually indestructible while a cell phone can be destroyed by whispering "moisture" to it. I can't imagine a yachtsman, a scuba diver, or a pilot relying on anything other than a watch and even in more prosaic circumstances a watch has the upper hand. Which do you suppose is more practical while driving during the summer time when the only pockets available for carrying a phone are in a pair trousers? Which is more accessible?
Here at Chez Szondy, I wear a wrist watch all the time. That's because, being a freelance writer, I spend most of my time working in my pajamas and the wife doesn't take my concern that there are at least four rooms in the house without a clock seriously, so it's either a wristwatch while I'm pottering about or guessing half the time.
The BBC's argument rests largely on the fact that young people don't wear a watch as much as their elders do. Obviously, what this indicates is that the young need a few more cuffs on the earhole. Mind you, they need that on general principles.
5 comments:
Far from seeing "the death of the wristwatch", I don't even see the death of the old-fashioned, spring-wound, real watch with a big hand and a little hand. It doesn't need batteries, is much more easily waterproofed, and can be read in any conditions if it has luminous "dots".
Lastly, such a watch can help you find your way back to civilization if you get lost. A digital watch cannot be used as a sun compass.
cheers
eon
I wear the watch my grandfather got when he retired from Pratt & Whitney.
It looks great (has the Pratt logo on the band), is practical and reminds me of my grandfather. I couldn't get that from a cell phone.
Well you can use a digital watch as a compass but it is a lot less accurate. However, a gentleman should wear a wristwatch or pocket watch (I own several of the latter for formal occasions). The younger generation are quite lost with a device that has a miniscule battery life. Of course, we more experienced and mature gentlemen, can actually read the time - I am told "There is an app (or some such) for that".
The spinning noise you heard was John Harrison turning in his grave.
I have a auto-setting talking watch with
mechanical hands.
Here's a pic:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/3772016493_d3651571dd.jpg
That is another reason why a true sailor should always be able to use magnetic compass and sextant - especially if the intention is to do lenghty cruises with leaving the shore off the sight.
The battery has a tendency to run out at the moment when it is least expected. We experienced that last Summer in the middle of Baltic. All gauges, instruments and navigation electronics died down. Fortunately we were able to navigate in the old-fashioned way and we all the time knew where we were.
According to a colleague, some 50% of all SAR alerts are due to running out of battery and GPS dying.
We have also a slide rule for the total-snafu-worst-case-scenario navigational backup for doing the dead reckoning. It does not need electricity.
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